The Republic Marines, also known as the Republic Marine Corps or simply as "the Corps", was first formed as a branch of the Republic Navy, which encompassed its primary ground forces and shipboard security personnel. Separate from the Republic Army, soldiers who served in the Republic Marines were considered by historians to be among the best-trained and best-equipped troops that the Galactic Republic could field. Generally organized into regimental- or battalion-sized units, depending on the era, Marines would often see a wider range of duties than their counterparts in the Army, including garrisoning remote outpost worlds, serving on warships, or protecting embassies and other governmental posts. Aside from their primary combat and ceremonial guard units, the Corps possessed two major sub-branches: the Marine Aerospace Wings, which was made up of several fighter wings of starfighters that were utilized for everything from close air support to raiding enemy installations, and a dedicated intelligence and special operations branch, the Republic Marine Force Reconnaissance companies. Other, minor units of the Corps included the Marine Corps Band and the Red Gundarks flight demonstration team.

Founded by Admiral Sakira Tobonne, an experienced Navy officer who had been successful in guarding the borders of the Republic from pirates and slavers, the Marine Corps served with distinction in many of the galaxy's fiercest and most widespread conflicts. Beginning with the Great Hyperspace War and continuing through the time of the New Sith Wars, they were regarded as an important arsenal in the Republic's armed forces throughout their history. The Corps eventually grew to a core strength of thirty-six combat battalions and thirty-seven starfighter squadrons before they were disbanded along with most of the rest of the military. Refusing to become a part of the Judicial Department that had been created to take their place, most Marines instead became mercenaries; though they still held to the traditions of the Corps, they lacked the infrastructure to maintain themselves and gradually faded into obscurity. However, their tactics and doctrine would be resurrected during the Clone Wars by the clone troopers of the Grand Army of the Republic, with the formation of the Galactic Marines.

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Legends of the Jedi: Burning Bright by MPK

"Tell you what," he said at last. "I'll tell you a story about Malachor. You decide whether it explains it or not.

"It happened a very, very long time ago. The exact century has been lost to the ages, but it was around the time when we were pushing beyond the sector of our homeworld, scattering groups of ourselves to the far corners of the galaxy in search of great new planets to conquer and civilizations to battle.

"It was a truly great time, you see, because the leader of our people was personally directing one of these grand expeditions. He was called Mandalore the Visionary, and he's one the most shadowy and mysterious figures in our entire history. Some people don't even believe he ever existed. He-"

"Did he ever exist?" I asked anxiously. As much as I liked stories back then, I really wanted a straight-up answer from Dad this time.

"Shuddup for a minute, will ya? As far as the story's concerned, he existed!

"Well in any case, he was called Mandalore the Visionary because that's what he was. Now, as with any important figure from a time so long ago, there's as many different versions of him as there are ways to skin a cannok." I didn't and still don't have any idea what a cannok is. "But just about all of them – well, all the good ones, anyway – paint him as a man with one hell of an imagination... and great with words, too. He could give speeches as well as tell stories. Many of the legends even say he could see into the future.

"That helped a lot with telling stories, which was apparently one of his favorite things to do.

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• … that Evening Delwynn had a sister eleven years younger than her?
• … that Ko was a never-publically-seen bounty hunter responsible for assassinating B'Rhea?
• … that the First Yuuzhan Vong Empire was formed in 10 BBY from the Yuuzhan Vong Purse Worlds?
• … that the Chiss Empire was the longest lasting empire in history?
• … that Clone Marshall Commander Vill led the 302nd Division in the extermination of the Keshiki species on Kesh?
• … that Kreia trained the Jedi Exile aboard the Ebon Hawk?